St. Bonaventure University’s lack of proper accessibility for differently abled individuals is an affront to our Franciscan values. The lack of accessibility is shameful and disrespectful to the entire community of non-able bodied people.
The best I can say is that Bonaventure does have elevators in most of its buildings, but the majority of them are old and decrepit. The accessible entrances to many of the buildings on campus are out of the way and off-putting. De la Roche and Plassmann Hall are only enterable from the rear.
The Bonaventure website states that St. Francis believed “learning in a disconnected academic community was quite meaningless.” If our campus is not readily available to all people, then we are — by definition — a disconnected academic community. A university is a place where everyone should be united in the noble pursuit of knowledge, itself a Franciscan value.
The mission statement of St. Bonaventure University claims the school should create “an inclusive community that values diversity as strength.” Yet the school is ill prepared to include those of different capabilities in it.
Modernization of accessibility needs to become one of the priorities of the school going forward. Only a few buildings on campus offer automatic doors, something that should no longer be considered a luxury but a necessity for all buildings.
Differently abled people should not be forced to enter buildings from side and back entrances as is currently expected of them in many buildings on campus. It is disrespectful that for someone in a wheelchair to get into Plassmann he or she must travel around the back and take an elevator, and if they wanted to go to the second floor they would need to take another elevator.
Every building on campus should have increased accessibility in the form of an inclined entrance. The school should not wait to put them in when it makes renovations to buildings. Ramps need to be present on all buildings that have elevated entrances, even if a ramp might be an eyesore. The aesthetic should be of minimal importance when it comes to inclusion and accessibility.
Located less than two hours away in Pennsylvania, Edinboro University has been recognized as one of the most accessible universities in the United States. The examples of its accessibility include up-to-date elevators and ramps for all campus facilities, automatic doors and accessible classrooms, among numerous other things. In order to even use certain services, such as elevators, one must make a request through the school.
Edinboro sets an example of an accessible university that Bonaventure should strive for. Differently abled people are valuable members of our society, and the school is lessening itself and failing to live up to its core values by not making inclusiveness of these people a priority.
Corey Krajewski is Opinions Editor of the Bona Venture. His email is 
krajewcj15@bonaventure.edu
